As granddaughter of a miner, and daughter of a gem dealer, colored gemstones run in Karina Sena's blood. She grew up crawling the floors of the family gems and jewelry store in the historic square of Salvador, capital of Bahia, Brazil.Completely in love with Brazilian gemstones, and knowing she wanted to make the family business her life's work, she continued her education, following a dual path of business and geology in order to formally prepare herself for the future.In the late 90's she moved to London in order to study and travel throughout Europe to experience directly the glamour of European jewelry fashion, trends and the diversity of styles.On her return to Brazil Karina created her first entire collection: " Orixas" to sell in her parents' store. This collection sold out to North American clients visiting Bahia and was the first of many collections to come. In 2003, shortly after her marriage and move to Sao Paolo, she incorporated Sena e Okamoto – Gems, Jewels and Art. Karina's unique background and international awareness have already made her wholesale gemstone and retail "tailor made" jewelry business a success.Another benefit of her family and connections is Karina's ability to get a first look at some of the best quality gemstones lots and also have access to unusual cuts. Add to that the high quality craftsmanship and her extraordinary creativity and imagination, and you have real art, not just jewelry.